Not every movie is destined to break the box office; some simply never catch on with the general public during their theatrical run, for whatever reason. Still, there are a select few films that have gone on to create a lasting impact despite being considered duds at the time of their release. Cult films can grow their audience over the years due to reruns or video rentals – there’s a myriad of reasons audiences might come to appreciate a previously-ignored movie.
Some films are so bad they’re good, while others are so good but weren’t appreciated in their time. Others embrace the camp, while some embrace the horror. Some films are camp because they attempt to embrace horror. Whatever the case, these films have gained notoriety after their release, for good or ill.
From The Nightmare Before Christmas to Killer Klowns, here are some true cult films to help you understand the phrase and the depths of their fandoms.
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
It might come as a shock for those of you who can’t remember a time without Jack and Sally adorning the walls of Hot Topic, but The Nightmare Before Christmas was only moderately successful at the box office. And because the film was produced under Touchstone Pictures, Disney’s former production studio for more adult-oriented fare, it had a tough time finding its niche in the Disney canon. It was only in 2001 that Nightmare Before Christmas characters began to take over Disneyland annually. The film’s popularity grew thanks to annual ABC Network reruns and strong home media sales. Audiences came to love the quirky, emo-culture-defining cinema, and it’s now become a holiday classic in its own right. Though many still argue about whether it’s a Halloween film or a Christmas film, strangely enough – it’s both, people, with a slant toward Christmas!
2. Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
Killer Klowns From Outer Space is exactly what it says on the tin. When a giant spaceship resembling a circus tent lands in the woods, strange and terrifying alien Klowns begin terrorizing a nearby town, taking its residents hostage in the form of cotton candy cocoons. The film is a perfect example of the horror-comedy genre – patently absurd in all the right ways; the Klowns still manage to be unnerving with their uncanny valley design. Viewers enjoy seeing Klowns grow from their larval, popcorn-like stage, an ambiguously romantic trio of main characters, and a special appearance by Klownzilla. Connoisseurs of cult classics are well acquainted with Killer Klowns From Outer Space, but it’s time for these Klowns to shine with a broader audience.
3. Troll 2 (1990)
You could make a movie about the making of Troll 2. Wait, someone already did — and the story of the film’s creation is almost as out there as the film itself? Well, you’d better strap in. This film is so nonsensical that it may as well be a postmodernist statement on the state of cinema in this country.
First, the film was made by Claudio Fragasso, a man who immigrated to the United States later in life and did not speak English all that well. This presented several issues with communication, and at one point, Fragasso changed a scene in which a boy was supposed to pretend to be possessed, saying, “Possessed, boring, b*******. You piss on the table.” And sure enough, this change made its way into the final film.
That might explain some of the film’s plot, which involves a family going on a home exchange program (really) to the town of Nilbog (read that backward). There, they’re hunted by vegetarian goblins (by the way, the film is only called Troll 2 because of marketing reasons, the villains here are goblins. Nilbog. Get it?). To circumvent the whole eating meat thing, the goblins plan to turn our heroes into vegetables to eat them. It seems like a pretty circuitous plan, but maybe the goblins believe modern agriculture is unethical. Also, the teen daughter has a boyfriend who tags along with his blatantly homoerotic friend group for some reason. One of them turns into popcorn as a metaphor for orgasm and is never heard from again.
You don’t piss on hospitality, indeed.
4. Heavy Metal (1981)
Heavy Metal is like the mural on the side of a van come to life. It’s deeply infused with ‘70s energy. It didn’t receive a warm welcome when it first came out, with many calling it inappropriate for an animated film and others deriding the admittedly excessive nudity and sexuality. Its depictions of women are especially worthy of criticism and analysis.
But the animation is gorgeous, and the soundtrack is an absolute killer. Heavy Metal found an audience in metal heads and animation fans after its release. I’d say the movie’s like an acid trip, but I’m straight edge, and I can’t lie to you, dear reader.
5. Titan A.E. (2000)
Ah, Titan A.E, the film that bombed so hard it bankrupted 20th Century Fox’s animation studio, Fox Animation Studios. Estimates put its budget at somewhere between $75-90 million, and with an all-star voice cast that includes the likes of Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore, and Bill Pullman, that number pans out. Unfortunately, Titan A.E. made just $36.8 million at the box office.
Hope was not lost for the film, however. As time has passed, more and more viewers have discovered the wonders of this film. Set in a future in which the Earth has been destroyed by energy beings known as the Drej, Titan A.E. follows Cale Tucker (Damon) as he sets out to find ‘the Titan Project’ – a device that may just hold the key to humanity’s survival. The early 2000s were filled with amazing, underrated animated gems that underperformed at the box office, and Titan A.E. ranks among them.
6. Treasure Planet (2002)
Like Titan A.E., Treasure Planet had the misfortune to be released during a slump in Disney’s film department. The film’s budget was $140 million, but it made just $109.6 million.
That’s just an injustice, I tell you! The movie is a visual feast for the eyes; it’s worldbuilding and world design are imaginative and gorgeous. It’s characters and emotional arcs are some of the most genuine Disney has ever put into the film. Disney even had faith that it would spawn a franchise, including potential sequels and a tv show. Sadly, it was not to be. The only solace audiences can take in their folly is that the film is currently streaming on Disney+ and deserves a watch.
7. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
I promise this list won’t turn into pure animation (not that it would matter if it did!), but Atlantis: The Lost Empire perfectly completes a trinity with Treasure Planet and Titan AE. The film was a box office disappointment; from an estimated budget of $90-120 million and a box office intake of $186.1 million, it’s become a lesser-appreciated film in Disney’s library.
This is a real shame because the artwork of Mike Mignola, production designer and creator of Hellboy, inspired the film’s look. The result is visually striking. Much is left unsaid about Atlantis in the film, and there seemed to be more than the crew wanted to explore in that world. A crossover with Gargoyles (another underrated gem) was planned but canceled, and a tv show was canceled and later turned into the direct-to-video film Atlantis: Milo’s Return. Disney has hardly acknowledged the franchise since then.
8. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
This Abomination unto God film was an adaptation of a gross-out trading card game, which should give you some idea of what to expect from the movie. Considered one of the worst films by many, the film’s plot involves the titular characters escaping from their demonic prison from whence they should never have been released spaceship shaped like a garbage can.
The film then follows their “hijinks,” most of which are incredibly obnoxious, and it gives us no reason to love the Garbage Pail Kids yet every reason to want to flee in terror at their coming. The film’s ending features the horrific monsters that are the Garbage Pail Kids riding off into the sunset, confident in the knowledge that they’ll get a sequel. They didn’t, and we’re better for it.
9. Waterworld (1997)
Waterworld was once a punchline, but the budget soon ballooned to the most expensive ever at the time, reaching somewhere around $175 million. It only made $264.2 million, and star Kevin Costner, who had been on a hot streak until this point, saw his career slow down after the movie bombed.
However, a magical thing has happened with time: people have now seen the film now and realized it’s not that bad. In fact, the setting is quite creative, the action is fun, and the fact that the movie was actually filmed at sea gives it an authenticity that’s pretty novel for a film that didn’t make a huge splash at the time.
10. Howard the Duck (1986)
Long before he was a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, Howard the Duck was the hero of his own film. The movie centers around Howard, a sentient Duckworld duck who gets sucked into our Earth. Here, he meets Lea Thompson’s character, who’s, well, there’s no easy way to say this: she’s into the duck.
That duck in the thumbnail photo is right there. That horrific, dead-eyed duck. Indeed it’s enough that he’s a duck, but that duck, in particular?
Anyway, the film’s considered one of the worst of all time, but you know what? Sometimes bad movies are just what the heart needs. It’s one of those films that’s fun to make fun of – bring some friends over and have a riffing session. You’ll have a blast.
…but, really, Lea Thompson’s character, him?